The Broadway cast of Come from Away. Picture: Matthew Murphy
Tony Award-winning new musical Come From Away is due to land on this side of the Atlantic in December with a premiere run in Ireland ahead of its West End debut in January 2019.
Inspired by the remarkable true story of the 7,000 stranded air passengers who found refuge in a small Canadian town in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 terror attack, the show that celebrates ‘man’s humanity’ at a time when the world was horrified by the ‘depths of its inhumanity’ will begin previewing at London’s Phoenix Theatre from 30 January 2019.
The London run which will open on 18 February 2019, will follow a limited engagement at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin from 6 December 2018 until 19 January 2019. The UK and Ireland cast will be announced at a later date.
Featuring a book, music and lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, Come From Away is directed by Christopher Ashley, with musical staging by Kelly Devine, music supervision and arrangements by Ian Eisendrath, scenic design by Beowulf Boritt, costume design by Toni-Leslie James, lighting design by Howell Binkley, sound design by Gareth Owen, orchestrations by August Eriksmoen, and casting by Pippa Ailion and Natalie Gallacher.
Commenting on the hit show’s imminent arrival in the UK, Canada’s high commissioner to the United Kingdom, Janice Charette, said: “I could not be more delighted that Come From Away is coming to the UK next year. A story that captures the kindness and humanity of the people of Canada – and the people of Newfoundland and Labrador in particular – at a crucial moment in U.S. and global history. This show reminds us what good neighbours and true friendship is all about. Audiences in London are in for a treat.”
A hit with both audiences and the critics, the multi-award-winning musical is currently in the middle of record-breaking runs on Broadway and in Canada and is due to embark on a 60-city North American tour beginning in Seattle in October. An Australian production has been confirmed for next summer and work has begun on a feature film version.
Describing their work, writers Sankoff and Hein said: “The humour, the music, and the infectious generosity of spirit of the people of Newfoundland inspired us to write this musical, however along the journey we discovered that this isn’t just a Canadian story – it’s a universal story of how, when faced with global atrocities, the world comes together to respond with kindness and cooperation. We are particularly thrilled to be sharing this story with audiences in the UK and Ireland.”
Come From Away was developed at the Canadian Music Theatre Project, by producer Michael Rubinoff (Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario, Canada) and was further developed at Goodspeed Musicals’ Festival of New Artists, in East Haddam, with development support provided by The Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, and the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle.
Originally co-produced in 2015 by La Jolla Playhouse and Seattle Repertory Theatre, Come From Away was presented in 2016 by Ford’s Theatre in Washington DC and Mirvish Productions at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto, Canada, all in partnership with Junkyard Dog Productions.
Named as Best Musical at awards’ ceremonies across North America, Come From Away has collected multiple awards including the Tony for Best Direction of a Musical for director Ashley, five Outer Critics Circle Awards, three Drama Desk, four Helen Hayes Awards, six San Diego Critics Circle Awards, and three Toronto Theatre Critics Awards.
Come From Away is produced in the UK and Ireland by Junkyard Dog Productions and Smith & Brant Theatricals. The European premiere of Come From Away will be presented in partnership with The Abbey Theatre, Dublin.
Angela Thomas
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